Former Ottawa Mayor Robert Eschbach (center), the 2024 Paul Simon-Jim Edgar Statesmanship Award recipient, will participate in a virtual discussion on municipal leadership and community involvement on Friday, March 14, with John Shaw, director of SIU Carbondale’s Paul Simon Institute (left). With Eschbach and Shaw is former Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar at the award ceremony in August. (Photo provided)
March 11, 2025
SIU’s Paul Simon Institute to host talk on municipal leadership with former Ottawa mayor
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Former Ottawa, Illinois, Mayor Robert Eschbach will join Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Paul Simon Public Policy Institute for a special virtual conversation at 10 a.m. Friday, March 14.
Eschbach, who received the 2024 Paul Simon-Jim Edgar Statesmanship Award, will discuss decades of community activity and municipal leadership with John Shaw, institute director.
The discussion, via Zoom is free and open to the public, but registration to view the conversation is required. The event is part of the institute’s “Understanding Our New World” discussion series. Visit paulsimoninstitute.org/events to register.
“Robert Eschbach is the embodiment of statesmanship in Illinois,” Shaw said. “He has worked for decades in the public interest, bringing people together, forging coalitions and solving problems to make his community better. We should recognize the powerful and profound contributions of leaders such as Bob Eschbach and support them to make our communities — and our democracy — flourish.”
A native of Ottawa, Eschbach attended Illinois Valley College and graduated from Illinois State University. He earned a law degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and then returned to Ottawa. He served as the community’s mayor from 1999 to 2019.
When Eschbach came into office, Ottawa was struggling with job loss and a badly deteriorating downtown. He focused on attracting jobs, downtown revitalization, riverfront development, city beautification and cultural events, pushing through a Comprehensive Plan in 1999 and another one in 2014 that won the Daniel Burnham Award. He also worked with colleagues on an important flood plain plan that won national awards.
Attendees are encouraged to submit questions for Eschbach on the registration form or email questions to paulsimoninstitute@siu.edu.
More information, a list of the institute’s upcoming events and past speakers and events are available.